I had to duck back into bed and crush everything.  But she only looked in and said to try and behave for the next three hours, and went away.

At a quarter to eight I left the house in a clandestine manner by means of the cellar and the area steps, and on the pavment drew a long breath.  I was free, and I had twelve dollars.

Act One went well, and no disturbence.  Although Adrian started when he saw me.  The yellow looked very well.

I had expected to sit back, sheltered by the curtains, and only visable from the stage.  I have often read of this method.  But there were no curtains.  I therfore sat, turning a stoney profile to the Audiance, and ignoreing it, as though it were not present, trusting to luck that no one I knew was there.

He saw me.  More than that, he hardly took his eyes from the box wherein I sat.  I am sure to that he had mentioned me to the Company, for one and all they stared at me until I think they will know me the next time they see me.

I still think I would not have been recognized by the Familey had I not, in a very quiet seen, commenced to sneaze.  I did this several times, and a lot of people looked anoyed, as though I sneazed because I liked to sneaze.  And I looked back at them defiantly, and in so doing, encountered the gaze of my Maternal Parent.

Oh, Dear Dairy, that I could have died at that moment, and thus, when streched out a pathetic figure, with tubroses and other flowers, have compeled their pity.  But alas, no.  I sneazed again!

Mother was weged in, and I saw that my only hope was flight.  I had not had more than between three and four dollars worth of the evening, but I glansed again and Sis was boring holes into me with her eyes.  Only Beresford knew nothing, and was trying to hold Sis’s hand under her opera cloak.  Any fool could tell that.

But, as I was about to rise and stand poized, as one may say, for departure, I caught Adrian’s eyes, with a gleam in their deep depths.  He was, at the moment, toying with the bowl of roses.  He took one out, and while the Leading Lady was talking, he eged his way toward my box.  There, standing very close, aparently by accident, he droped the rose into my lap.

Oh Dairy!  Dairy!

I picked it up, and holding it close to me, I flew.

I am now in bed and rather chilley.  Mother banged at the door some time ago, and at last went away, mutering.

I am afraid she is going to be petish.

January 22nd.  Father came home this morning, and things are looking up.  Mother of course tackeled him first thing, and when he came upstairs I expected an awful time.  But my father is a reel Person, so he only sat down on the bed, and said: 

“Well, chicken, so you’re at it again!”

I had to smile, although my chin shook.

“You’d better turn me out and forget me,” I said.  “I was born for Trouble.  My advice to the Familey is to get out from under.  That’s all.”